NIHR Alert 24 November 2020
- This research is the first evaluation of integrated care models that were piloted across England between 2015 and 2018. Two models focused on the general population; another on care homes.
- Two schemes moved specialist care for the general population out of hospitals and into the community. They aimed to foster closer collaboration between GPs, hospitals, communities and social care services. These approaches were called Multi-speciality Community Providers (MCPs) and Primary and Acute Care Systems (PACS).
- The other focused on care home residents and aimed to improve the quality and coordination of health, care and rehabilitation services. The Enhanced Care in Care Homes (ECH) model increased the medical support available in care homes and promoted collaboration between the NHS, local authorities, the voluntary sector, carers and relatives.
- over the three-year period, there was a small reduction (of 4.2%) in emergency admissions among care home residents; most of this reduction happened in the third and final year.
- for the population-based sites, a reduction (of 3.1%) in emergency admissions was found only in the third and final year.
- the biggest reductions occurred in adults and older age groups
- there was no significant reduction in bed-days.
